Anchoring device for fastening laces

Abstract

The present invention is an anchoring device for fastening laces which includes a structure having a supporting base and a pair of overlapping throat members which hold sections of the fastening lace. The bottom throat member forms a reel and includes retention ledges which retain a winding section of the lace that is wrapped about the reel. The upper throat member forms a reel having retention ledges which retain a winding section of the lace that may be wrapped about the reel.

1. An anchoring device which may be applied to a laced fastening member used in conjunction with clothes, bags, tents or shoes, having eyelets, and wherein the laced fastening member comprises an elongated flexible member having first and second terminal ends which permit the fastening member to pass through an exit hole in the anchoring device, through the eyelets of the object being secured, and through an entry hole in the anchoring device, the anchoring device comprising:
 a supporting base on which a pair of overlapping throat members are structurally arranged for holding sections of the laced fastening member; 
 an anchoring assembly positioned in said supporting base to secure the first terminal end and to permit the laced fastening member to exit the exit hole to engage to eyelets of the object being secured, with said entry hole positioned in said supporting base to permit the second terminal end of the laced fastening member to pass from the eyelets of the object being secured to the anchoring device; 
 a reel member positioned about said anchoring assembly and associated with one of said throat members to permit the laced fastening member to be wound thereon, with said reel member being positioned between said supporting base and an intermediate wall, with said supporting base and said intermediate wall having retention ledges to maintain the laced fastening member about the reel member; and 
 wherein the other of said throat members is mounted on said intermediate wall and includes a cap member thereon with said other of said throat members structurally arranged to receive the second terminal end of the laced fastening member and to secure the second end to the anchoring device. 
 
   
   
     2. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting base projects with respect to said reel member as a guiding means for the lace towards one of said throat members, while said intermediate wall projects with respect to the other of said throat member as a guiding means for the lace towards said other of said throat members. 
   
   
     3. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting base is a fastening stop against the edge of the shoe opening of application. 
   
   
     4. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein said anchoring assembly consists in a labyrinth-like receptacle, the external walls of which form the winding core of the reel member having two passages diametrically opposed, which communicate said labyrinth-like receptacle with the exit hole on said supporting base. 
   
   
     5. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein said supporting base, the reel member and an upper throat member are defined by three overlapping walls positioned parallel to each other, the perimetrical borders of which are oval in shape and of different lengths, the longest length being said supporting base and a bottom throat member and the shortest length corresponding to the cap member which defines the upper throat member; the intermediate wall is separated from said supporting base by the core of the reel member around which is the bottom throat member and, on its opposite side, is separated from the cap member by the upper throat member. 
   
   
     6. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein said cap member provides an external surface suitable to fix advertising means. 
   
   
     7. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap member provides an external surface suitable to fix ornaments. 
   
   
     8. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 4 , wherein the labyrinth-like receptacle is defined by the presence in its central part of a partition formed by at least two aligned parts in a straight line separated from each other and from the perimetrical wall, and having a fastening means of one of the terminal ends of the lace by folding its rigid terminal end onto its flexible adjacent section, contacting each of them the respective surfaces of the longitudinal walls of the partition segments interposed between them. 
   
   
     9. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 8 , wherein the partitions of the labyrinth-like receptacle include retention means for the rigid terminal end of the laced fastening member and of its flexible adjacent portion, folded onto its longitudinal walls, consisting of at least one straight ledge in its bottom borders. 
   
   
     10. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 8 , wherein the labyrinth-like receptacle communicates with a bottom throat member of the reel member through two alternative passages facing the exit opening in said supporting base. 
   
   
     11. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein the access areas to said throat members and in the fastening ledges have borders that have slanting bevels for wedging the lace member. 
   
   
     12. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein said other of said throat members has retention means comprised of a fastening ledge at diametrically opposing angles. 
   
   
     13. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 12 , wherein said fastening ledge is elastically yielding, forming part of the cap member with side cooperating slots. 
   
   
     14. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 13 , wherein said fastening ledge is elastically yielding, having side cooperating weakening lines. 
   
   
     15. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 12 , wherein said fastening ledge is elastically yielding and is formed by a cross-shaped member fixed by two of its branches to the middle part of the front-back diameter of an upper throat member, by means of at least two bottom ledges angled at their ends, with a fastening mechanism inside said throat member, the bottom portion of both ends of their other transversal branch having, at least, another two ledges at an angle extending up to the interior of a top throat member. 
   
   
     16. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein on the surfaces of the intermediate wall and cap member there is a plurality of lineal ledges oriented in the direction of the axis joining the end holes for the passage of the laced fastening member to provide a holding means of the last section of the lace member. 
   
   
     17. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein in the direction of the axis joining the exit and inlet holes for the passage of the laced fastening member all the components have straight surfaces. 
   
   
     18. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , wherein the direction of the axis joining the exit holes for the passage of the laced fastening member all the components have curved surfaces. 
   
   
     19. The anchoring device for laced fastening member according to  claim 1 , which is an integral single member.